Barkly Highway State School - Term 3 Week 6
Principal's Welcome
CONGRATULATIONS MRS ROBERTS
Kamrynn Roberts has accepted the Deputy Principal’s role which became vacant with the departure of Cheryl Gallagher last week. Kamrynn is well known by our school community. She has been on our staff since 2003 and is proudly born and educated in Mount Isa. Thank you and congratulations, Kamrynn.
It has been a busy fortnight within the school grounds and in our community. Thank you to everyone, especially to float co-ordinators, Nicole Liu, Bec Samios and Sariah Tamihana-Ratana, who participated on the school’s float in the Isa Street Festival Parade with students from their classes. Prep parent, Kate Lovett, organised the float truck from MCA Engineering and Crockett Industries, which allowed many of our younger students a great view during the parade.
This week, our year 6 students who have been participating in Spinifex State College’s Gifted and Talented Program, attended and showcased their participation in the Creative Writing, Science, Health and Physical Education and Gastronomy with their families.
PUMP TRACK
This week, incidents that occurred in the pump track area before school, flowed over into some of our classrooms as school began. Incidents like these draws on valuable staff time which results in less time on our core business at that time – supporting teaching and learning. Problems like this were foreseen and discussed in the very early consultation stages when the pump track was first raised by the Mount Isa City Council. With the P&C support, the school encourages our students to come straight to school or home, not congregate in unsupervised areas, such as the pump track, before or after school. When Chappie Sue is available, she does a check-in with students in this area, however, groups of students will not move to schoolgrounds as they state parents give them permission to be at the park. Thank you to families who encourage and insist on their children to come straight to school after drop-off. We appreciate your continuing support in keeping students safe.
REMINDER: Children under 8 years of age must be supervised by an adult.
Deputy's Report
I am very excited and honoured to take on the role of Deputy Principal for the remainder of the school year. I look forward to having this opportunity to continue working with our dedicated staff, amazing students and supportive school community in this new role.
Last week, on our Student Free Day, Yvette Wehlow and I guided our staff through an interactive tour of the V9 Australian Curriculum learning area: English.
We read and discussed the Rationale and Aims of the revised curriculum. The English curriculum aims to ensure that students:
- learn to purposefully and proficiently read, view, listen to, speak, write, create and reflect on increasingly complex texts across a growing range of contexts
- understand how Standard Australian English works in its spoken and written forms, and in combination with non-linguistic forms of communication, to create meaning
- develop interest and skills in examining the aesthetic aspects of texts and develop an informed appreciation of literature
- appreciate, enjoy, analyse, evaluate, adapt and use the richness and power of the English language in all its variations to evoke feelings, form ideas and facilitate interaction with others.
Staff looked through the achievement standards of different year levels and used the hyperlinks to view the linking content descriptors, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities.
Although implementation of the Australian Curriculum Version 9, English and Mathematics will not commence until 2025. Our staff will continue to plan and prepare for this implementation throughout the remainder of the year and 2024.
Kind regards,
Kamrynn Roberts
Engagement & Wellbeing
We are over the half term hump! I would like to express total gratitude to our Barkly Highway families for the support in the Student Council pizza and pyjama day to continue having Joy visit our classrooms. Students thoroughly enjoyed pizza and their display of manners was of Barkly Highway standards. We raised $620!
School Opinion Survey – Friday, 18 August is the final day to complete the School Opinion Survey. Please check your emails as we would love to hear your voice and thoughts on some of our systems here at Barkly Highway State School.
Our social skill this week is about following adult instructions the first time. We have been talking about how adults give instructions for a reason. It might be a safety reason or a learning reason or a kindness reason and how important it is to ensure we follow instructions.
Events that are coming up include:
Friday, 18 August - Bullying No Way day. Students can wear something orange to bring awareness of this issue.
Thursday, 24 August we are fortunate to have the Spinifex College band come and perform for our students.
Friday, 25 August is the final day for the Premier’s Reading Challenge and Book Week dress up parade. This is always a fun parade and will take place at 8:25 in the undercover area. We hope to see you there!
Digital Tech in 3 Blue
This term in digital technology 3 Blue has been learning to use PowerPoint. Students were given the task to create an ‘All About Me’ presentation and present it in front of their classmates. Students learnt how to insert different fonts, enlarge text as well as copy and paste images.
Maths in Prep Gold
This week, in mathematics, Prep Gold have been busy learning about the duration of time and the sequence of events!
We learn best by living an experience and participating with hands on materials to complement group discussions and reflecting on our learning.
Our children are also learning to give reasons to justify and explain their thinking as they develop their critical thinking skills.
Events & Flyers
Want to know what's happening within the school? Check out our School Calendar to keep up to date.
https://barklyhighwayss.schoolzineplus.com/calendar/1
Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barklyhighwaystateschool
